Republicans face internal brawl over impeachment witnesses | TheHill – The Hill

Senate Republicans are barreling toward a high-profile fight on impeachment witnesses one of the biggest wild cards of President TrumpDonald John TrumpNational Archives says it altered Trump signs, other messages in Women's March photo Dems plan marathon prep for Senate trial, wary of Trump trying to 'game' the process Democratic lawmaker dismisses GOP lawsuit threat: 'Take your letter and shove it' MOREs trial.

With the House expected to send the articles across the Capitol as early as Wednesday, GOP senators are slated to pass a resolution on trial rules next Tuesday that would punt a decision on whether to call witnesses for roughly two weeks.

There are already signs of division in the Republican caucus over whether witnesses are needed and, if so, who would be on that list.

Asked if he had concerns the witness debate could get messy, Sen. John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneSenate to vote on Trump's Canada, Mexico trade deal Thursday Senate braces for Trump impeachment trial Republicans face internal brawl over impeachment witnesses MORE (S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, said thats the state of play.

If that door is opened then both sides are obviously going to want to call witnesses, and then youre going to have probably individual votes on individual potential witnesses that people want to call, Thune said.

Democrats would need to peel off four GOP senators in order to call preferred witnesses such as former national security adviser John BoltonJohn BoltonDems plan marathon prep for Senate trial, wary of Trump trying to 'game' the process Republicans will pay on Election Day for politicizing Trump's impeachment The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump beefs up impeachment defense with Dershowitz, Starr MORE and acting White House chief of staff Mick MulvaneyJohn (Mick) Michael MulvaneyTrump trial poses toughest test yet for Roberts Collins says she's 'likely' to support calling witnesses for impeachment trial Schumer doesn't rule out calling Parnas to testify in impeachment trial MORE.

Thune stopped short of saying there are four Republicans who would vote to subpoena witnesses, saying he didnt want to be handicapped. But he added Senate Republicans have members [that] want to hear from witnesses.

The debate, which comes as lawmakers are finalizing the rules resolution, sets the stage for the kind of divisive floor fight GOP leaders have tried to avoid.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDems plan marathon prep for Senate trial, wary of Trump trying to 'game' the process Senate GOP mulls speeding up Trump impeachment trial Republicans will pay on Election Day for politicizing Trump's impeachment MORE (R-Ky.) knocked Democrats request for witnesses beyond those who spoke with the House during its inquiry, arguing they are trying to turn the impeachment trial into a fishing expedition.

If the existing case is strong, theres no need for the judge and the jury to reopen the investigation. If the existing case is weak, House Democrats should not have impeached in the first place, McConnell said from the Senate floor.

He also sent a warning shot to Democrats, and his own caucus, when asked Tuesday during a weekly press conference about calling former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenSanders to headline Iowa event amid impeachment trial Hillicon Valley: Biden calls for revoking tech legal shield | DHS chief 'fully expects' Russia to try to interfere in 2020 | Smaller companies testify against Big Tech 'monopoly power' Hill.TV's Krystal Ball on Sanders-Warren feud: 'Don't play to the pundits, play to voters' MOREs son Hunter Biden to testify, saying: I cant imagine that only the witnesses that our Democratic colleagues would want to call would be called.

The comments come after McConnell sent a similar warning last month, during an interview with Fox News Radio, that if Democrats successfully called a witness then he expected Republicans would want to hear from Hunter Biden and the whistleblower.

You can see here that this would be a kind of mutual assured destruction episode that would go on for a long time, McConnell said, adding that his preference would be for no witnesses.

On one side, Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulGOP threatens to weaponize impeachment witnesses amid standoff Paul predicts no Republicans will vote to convict Trump Graham on impeachment trial: 'End this crap as quickly as possible' MORE (R-Ky.) and conservative Republicans are warning they will force votes on controversial witnesses like Hunter Biden and the whistleblower if some of their colleagues support Democrats request for individuals like Bolton.

I dont think we should selectively call just witnesses that dont like the president, Paul said Tuesday, while specifying that his first preference is for no witnesses.

Paul added that if his GOP colleagues backed a subpoena for Bolton or other Democratic-supported witnesses and vote against the president bringing in witnesses, its not going to really be very helpful for them with the Republican base.

Sen. Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzSenate GOP mulls speeding up Trump impeachment trial The Hill's Morning Report President Trump on trial GOP threatens to weaponize impeachment witnesses amid standoff MORE (R-Texas) added that if senators support calling a witness sought by House managers they also need to support calling Trumps preferred witnesses.

If the Senate decides to allow the prosecution to call yet more witnesses, after all the witnesses they had in the House, they now want to call more witnesses the defense needs to be able to call at a minimum an equal number of witnesses, and witnesses of their choice, Cruz told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Tuesday.

The internal Republican haggling comes after McConnell announced that he has the votes to sideline Democrats and pass the rules for the trial with only Republicans.

But Democrats believe a steady stream of new reports, and Boltons public offer to testify, are helping build pressure on Republicans to support some witnesses either live or in closed-door depositions. Boltons lawyer, in particular, has said he will have information relevant to the trial. Democrats are expected to force votes on witnesses at the beginning and middle of the trial.

The American people want a fair trial in the Senate. The American people know that a trial without witnesses and documents is not a real trial, its a sham trial, and the American people will be able to tell the difference, Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerSanders defends vote against USMCA: 'Not a single damn mention' of climate change Schumer votes against USMCA, citing climate implications Senators are politicians, not jurors they should act like it MORE (D-N.Y.) said.

A small group of Republicans, including Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsRepublicans will pay on Election Day for politicizing Trump's impeachment The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump beefs up impeachment defense with Dershowitz, Starr The Hill's Morning Report President Trump on trial MORE (Maine), is working to ensure that language that leaves the door open to either side trying to call witnesses makes its way into the Senate rules resolution.

Collins when asked about the argument that if one side successfully calls witnesses then the other should be able to as well reiterated that she wants both sides to be able to request witnesses. A majority of the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 advantage, has to vote to call a witness.

Both sides should certainly have the right to call witnesses, she said. If youre going to be fair, you cant just give that to one side.

Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyRepublicans will pay on Election Day for politicizing Trump's impeachment Bring on the brokered convention GOP threatens to weaponize impeachment witnesses amid standoff MORE (R-Utah) indicated this week that he would vote to hear from Bolton during the trial.

I support the Clinton model, which means that we will have opening arguments first. Then well have a vote on witnesses and at that stage I presume Ill be voting in favor of hearing from John Bolton, perhaps among others. That could change, Romney said.

Asked if he thought that obligated him to also support calling Hunter Biden or the whistleblower, he said he would make a decision if it comes to that.

Id presume if were going to have any witnesses, well have witnesses from both sides, he said.

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Republicans face internal brawl over impeachment witnesses | TheHill - The Hill